Microsoft Hits 2 Million In Sales With Windows Phone 7
Last quarter, Microsoft sold more than 2 million units of its Windows Phone 7 software to various handset makers. Although the sales numbers represents a strong start for the new mobile operating system, Microsoft still has a long way to go if it hopes to catch up to Apple's iPhone or Google's Android operating system.
Some analysts have said one of the key factors that will affect the success of Windows Phone 7 will be the app store and the availability of popular applications. According to Microsoft, there are now more than 6,500 apps in the online marketplace for Windows Phone 7. This is a good start for the platform.
"The numbers show pretty good momentum on the sales of the platform," said Al Hilwa, an analyst at technology research firm IDC. "Anecdotally almost everyone who has seen the phone has commented on the style and fluidity of the interface. The apps numbers are excellent for this early stage of the lifecycle."
Microsoft licenses the Windows Phone 7 software to handset makers such as Samsung, LG, and HTC. To help put the Microsoft numbers into perspective, Apple announced that it had sold 16.2 million iPhones last quarter. RIM sold 14.2 million BlackBerry smartphones in a similar timeframe and Google claims 300,000 Android devices are sold each day.
